By Sherry F. Pruitt

JONESBORO -- If any Northeast Arkansans are imagining a day when a hideous creature oozes from the Arkansas State University Biosciences Institute, destroying everything in its path, then they have the wrong impression.

The ABI building is not the home to any experiments similar to "The Blob," the all-consuming alien from the 1958 science-fiction film starring Steve McQueen.

But the facility does have extra security for other reasons.

The Biosciences Institute is a state-of-the-art facility with high-tech security features, but its security system is designed to protect the research inside the building, rather than protecting the community from a hazard that could escape.

"It has security built in, but that's protection for the integrity of the experiments or the research -- or someone unknowingly damaging an experiment," said D.A. Davis, ASU safety supervisor.

Chris Groves, ABI building manager, added, "There's nothing deadly in the labs ... There's nothing to cause harm."

Groves said the facility is equipped with biometrics palm scanners, which take a digital image of the hand along with a personal identification number.

"It captures an image, and no one else can get it," Groves said.

Approximately 80 ABI personnel are authorized behind the locked doors. Visitors are required to sign in and wear visitor badges, and someone from the lab must escort them to certain parts of the building, he said. However, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. visitors have access to offices of the researchers, he added.

Interior and exterior closed-circuit cameras are installed at the facility.

Davis explained that ASU's Emergency Response Plan, including the ABI Building, is ongoing and grows daily.

"We're under federal mandate through the National Incident Management System document that specifies a specific format for the Emergency Response Plan under the direction signed by (President) Bush on Feb. 28, 2003," he said.

The plan that ASU had before the current policy was good, but it did not fit ASU's format, he added.

"You have to identify hazards, identify resources and identify key personnel to be used in emergency response and training for specific people," he said. Training is under way for those key personnel, he added.

A-State's plan is continually developing -- "You can't put it on a shelf, and it'll be there a year later," Davis said. "It's constantly updated."

The safety of the students, faculty and staff is the No. 1 responsibility, followed by the protection of property. The plan calls for ASU to support police and fire personnel.

About two dozen employees are identified as key personnel, and they follow a chain of command. Davis said they are prepared for virtually any type of disaster, including chemical spills, fires, train derailments, terrorist activity or severe weather.

"Our plan identifies them and looks at ways to deal with them to take care of the faculty, staff and students, and it is in support of city poilce and fire," Davis said.

The biggest risk is severe weather, but a priority just as great is given to incidents that could occur because of the close proximity to railroad tracks on the southern border of the campus.

"We do have provisions made for earthquakes," Davis said, adding that first aid supplies, equipment, radio transmitters, generators and fuel siphoning pumps have been set aside and are maintained on a regular schedule.

To keep employees updated, emergency response booklets are distributed to campus personnel and posted on the grounds. The printing of new booklets is under way.

The Incident Command System was developed by firefighters in the '70s. It's used by ASU, and "can be used for anything -- to planning a wedding or for a ball game. It's a pretty good system," Davis said.

sherry@jonesborosun.com